Sleepers: 2008 pitchers preview

For those of you in keeper leagues, you should already be finding guys who will be able to break out next season. Here are some of my early thoughts:

Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP. Don’t hesitate to draft this guy early in 2008. Matsuzaka should have at least three more wins to his name this season, which would put him at 17-8 instead of 14-11. He has a K rate of 8.77/9 IP and will figure out how to pitch in this league. I wouldn’t be surprised if he contends for a Cy Young next season, as he improves his communication and working relationship with Jason Varitek.

Tim Lincecum, SP. Don’t know if he qualifies as a sleeper, but this top prospect is for real, and he has arrived. In just 22 GS, he’s already had 5 dominant starts and fanned 142 in 133.1 IP. His 7-4 record on the Giants is pretty impressive by itself. He’s been even better the second half, which leads me to him being one of better pitchers next year.

Matt Cain, SP. His 7-14 record might scare some people off, but Cain is a legitimate #2 guy. A good K rate, pretty consistent, he will make up a pretty good rotation with Lincecum for years to come.

Brian Bannister, SP. Bannister has posted an ERA+ of 151 this season, going 12-7 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 23 starts for the Royals. He’s 4th in the AL in ERA, and has exhibited very good control, which is a sign of maturity for a 26-year old pitcher. Pair him with Gil Meche, and that rotation is no longer a joke. Bannister may not be popular next year because of his limited starts this year and the fact that he plays for the Royals, but I’m telling you, Dayton Moore is well on the road to respectability over in Kansas City.

Shawn Hill, SP. The Washington Nationals are not as upward bound as the Royals, but having Hill in their rotation is a good start. The righty is tied for 7th in baseball with a 141 ERA+, along with Kelvim Escobar (you may have heard of him). He’s just 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts, but they have been very good starts against some pretty good teams. He’s only allowed 4 HR all year, which seems to be his key to success.

Chad Billingsley, SP. The Dodgers vaunted farm system is showing some tangible results. Billingsley has gone 10-4 as a reliever and a starter this season, boasting a 3.30 ERA and a fine strikeout rate (8.66 K/9). He has really dominated in many starts, and been a hard-luck loser in a couple of games, so he could be 12-2 right now. Just 22 years old, keep an eye on him, as control could become an issue again.

Matt Garza, SP. This young man has performed pretty well in his 11 starts, and the Twins have little choice but to keep him in the rotation for next season. Despite his 3-5 record, Garza has a 3.49 ERA and an ERA+ of 126. The 23-year old really shone on July 29 against Cleveland, striking out 11 over 6 innings in a no decision. That’s the kind of pitcher this top prospect can be. You get the sense that a rotation comprosed of Santana, Liriano, Garza, Bonser and Baker wouldn’t be too shabby.

A.J. Burnett, SP. You guys know I’m already high on Burnett for next year. At 30 years old, he seems to have gone from throwing to pitching, and his fastball is as explosive as ever. He’s struck out 136 victims in 128.2 IP, and his ERA+ is at a healthy 125.